Life On the Hill
by Crittab
Summary: Nathan goes through a rehab program after his bout with the steroids. He and Haley make it through the situation, and Nathan meets a suicidal girl named Alexis. NALEY! Completed, with something unexpected. (Kleenex Warning!)
1. How Does This All Happen?

Disclaimer: The WB owns all characters on One Tree Hill, I only own the plot, wait, no, they own some of that too..  
  
Summary: This picks up where the last episode left off. It deals with the Peyton/Lucas/Brooke triangle, and the Nathan/Haley relationship.  
  
Haley sat down on the bed next to Nathan and took his hand in hers. She kissed his cheek lightly and laid her head on his shoulder.  
  
"You want to tell me what's wrong with you?" she asked. He sighed and sunk his head down, resting his cheek against her hair.  
  
"You sure you wont hate me when you find out?" She raised her head and looked at him softly.  
  
"Why would I hate you?"  
  
"Because I hate myself for it."  
  
"Whatever it is, you can fix it right?"  
  
"I hope so."  
  
"Can you tell me?" She asked, shifting her position to look straight at him. He looked down at the their entwined hands and sighed.  
  
"Last week a guy at school hooked me up with some steroids. I took them for the entire week. Tonight I don't know what happened, I just passed out," he waited a moment before turning to see her face.  
  
"Why did you take them in the first place?" she didn't raise her voice, didn't get angry, just stayed calm, it made Nathan feel a bit better.  
  
"You know my dad has the highest scoring record in the league," she nodded, "all he could do all week was tell me how I couldn't beat his record, and that I wasn't good enough. All I wanted to do was beat his record, and I needed more strength, and stamina, so I took something I thought could give me that," he looked at her sadly, "do you hate me?" She sighed and shook her head.  
  
"I'm not your father, I don't hate you. I'm disappointed, but mostly just worried," she answered. He pulled her into a tight embrace and held her there for a few moments.  
  
"I need your help, Haley. I feel so helpless, so screwed up."  
  
"I don't know what to do."  
  
"Neither do I. Maybe we can figure it out, you know, if we put our heads together," she leaned forward and rested her forehead against his.  
  
"You know, I didn't actually mean physically put our heads together," he said with a hint of a smile. She slapped him lightly on the stomach.  
  
"Shut up," she leaned forward and kissed him lightly.  
  
"I want to help you, but I don't know if we can do it ourselves."  
  
"Haley, I've only been taking them for a week, I can probably quit by going cold turkey."  
  
"What if someone finds out? Can't that hurt your game?" He sighed and nodded.  
  
"If someone finds out who has any power, it can get me kicked out of basketball permanently, and I'll lose any chance at a scholarship." She nodded her understanding.  
  
"Well, then we'll just have to keep it quiet."  
  
"It may be too late for that. The doctor who examined me started asking me if I had taken any kind of drugs, he found them in my system. My dad fought him on it, but I don't know how much good it will do."  
  
"Let's hope they never find out what it is."  
  
"So Doctor Haley, what's my prognosis?" he joked lightly.  
  
"I think with some work we can get the old cocky, arrogant, self centred Nathan back," she said with a light smiled. He grinned.  
  
"We'd better get to work then." 


	2. The Other Side

Nathan woke up early the next morning. He looked around and took in his surroundings, trying to figure out where he was. His eyes came to rest on the sleeping figure next to him. He brushed her hair out of her face and smiled lightly.  
  
Haley opened her eyes slowly and sat up with a yawn. She smiled lightly at Nathan.  
  
"Morning," he said.  
  
"Morning. What time is it?"  
  
"About six. Got any place to be?"  
  
"Well actually I need to be at Karen's in half an hour," she noticed his apprehensive look, "you should come with me, that way your mom will know you're okay and where you were all night."  
  
"Hmm, tempting, but I think I'll pass."  
  
"Nathan, you're going to have to face your parents, whether it's now or later. But I think it would be better all around if you do it before they send out a search party, don't you?"  
  
"Haley, I'm scared. They'll be so disappointed in me. And I don't even want to think about what my dad will do if the doctor convinced him that I was on drugs."  
  
"No, I don't either, but you have to find out. Please just come with me to the diner, your dad won't be there, you'll only have to face your mom." He thought about this for a moment.  
  
"Fine," she smiled and kissed him lightly.  
  
"Thank you," she looked at the clock and jumped up, "ooh, got to get a move on," with that she traipsed out of the room to get ready, leaving Nathan to ponder his possibly deadly decision.  
  
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Lucas woke up later than usual the next morning. He rushed to get dressed and shower before sprinting down the street to the diner. When he got there, Keith and Deb were already there, setting things up for the day.  
  
"So glad you decided to join us Lucas," Keith sarcastically said. He placed a hot cup of coffee in front of Lucas.  
  
"Thanks. Sorry, I overslept."  
  
"Oh, it's no problem, we've been getting along pretty well so far. When you're done would you minds setting the tables?" Deb asked.  
  
"No problem." Just then Nathan and Haley came in. Deb ran around the counter and hugged her son tightly.  
  
"Where were you last night?" she demanded.  
  
"I uh, went to Haley's," she turned to Haley.  
  
"And you didn't call me?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I just didn't think it was the time," Haley said in self- defense.  
  
"Mom, this isn't Haley's fault."  
  
"Oh, I know it isn't. You scared me half to death, Nate. Come on, you know you can't just stay out all night, let alone when you just escaped from the hospital, which we'll get to in a moment."  
  
"I'm sorry I scared you mom. I just couldn't go home and see dad."  
  
"Well I want you to go home now, we'll have this conversation later. And your father isn't there anymore. I asked him to leave," she said, going back behind the counter.  
  
"You did what?"  
  
'I asked him to leave. We'll discuss that later too. Now go," she ordered. Nathan sighed deeply and turned to go, Haley followed him out.  
  
"Well, that could have been worse," she said, trying to be the optimist.  
  
"My mother kicked my father out, how could it get any worse? This is probably my fault too."  
  
"No, Nathan it isn't. This is between your parents, it has nothing to do with you."  
  
"I don't know. Look, I'm just going to go home, you have to work. I'll talk to you later." He leaned down and kissed her lightly, then turned and walked away, leaving her to her work.  
  
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Deb got home around eight that night. She found Nathan sitting in on a bar stool at the island in the kitchen, reading. He looked up when she walked in and closed his book. Setting it down on the table he folded his hands in front of him, waiting for her to say something.  
  
"You want to tell me why you ran from the hospital last night?" Deb asked, sitting next to him.  
  
"It's a long story," just then Dan came in the room.  
  
"Oh, but I think I can start it for you," he said menacingly.  
  
"Dan you shouldn't be here," Deb warned.  
  
"I just came by to get my things, but since this conversation effects me as well, I think I ought to be included in it," he said down across from Nathan.  
  
"The doctor said you were on drugs," Dan said point blank. Nathan looked down and studied his hands for a moment.  
  
"Is that true Nathan?" Deb asked, seemingly horrified.  
  
"Oh, it's true. The doctor found them in his bloodstream," Dan interjected.  
  
"Let Nathan answer for himself." Hesitantly Nathan told them what had happened in the last week. When he was done, both Deb and Dan were seething.  
  
"Why would you do such a stupid thing?" Deb asked once he had finished.  
  
"Who cares why, what matters is that he did, and now he has to pay the consequences."  
  
"Dan-"  
  
"I'm talking to Coach Durham first thing in the morning. Then your mother the school councilor and I will decide what to do with you. Let's hope you don't get kicked out of basketball," Dan but in.  
  
"Dad, they were just steroids, I only took them for a week."  
  
"And you screwed yourself over by taking them at all. Get out of my sight," he ordered. Nathan jumped up and quickly made an exit, running up the staircase to his bedroom.  
  
"Dan, he is not only your son, you can't make these kind of decisions without consulting me first," Deb exclaimed.  
  
"Shut up, Debra, just shut up," Dan said.  
  
"Go get what you wanted and get out, Dan. And don't come back, If you want something else, call and well send them to you," Deb said. Her voice sounded calm and collected, but inside all she wanted to do was murder the man in front of her.  
  
"Fine, I'll see you at Tree Hill High when I make a meeting with the councilor," with that Dan left the room, and Deb to her many thoughts. 


	3. You Can't Be Serious

"You can't be serious," exclaimed Deb. She, Dan and Nathan were in the school councilors office early Monday morning.  
  
"Mrs. Scott, I assure you, this is the best course of action. The Caldwell House is a wonderful place for children and teens with Nathan's problem, and many others," the councilor, Mr. Marsh told them. He had suggested sending Nathan to a place where they would help him off drugs. He would be there for a three-month program, and would live there for the duration of the project.  
  
"I think it's a good idea. I don't want any druggies spoiling the Scott name," Dan exclaimed. He was rewarded with disgusted looks from both Deb and Nathan.  
  
"You can't be serious," Nathan, repeated his mother's previous statement.  
  
"Dan, we need to talk this over. We aren't making any decisions right now."  
  
"Well, actually there was just an opening. This place is pretty full up, so if we're going to get him in there, it would be best to move quickly. I mean get him in there right away," Mr. Marsh interjected.  
  
"How soon can you set it up?" Dan asked, despite the looks he was earning from his wife and son.  
  
"I can have him in there by Saturday. I really believe this is best Mister, Mrs. Scott."  
  
"Thank you. We'll have him there as soon as you set it up," Dan and the councilor stood and shook hands.  
  
"I'm sure they can help your son. I'm glad you've decided to do this."  
  
"Me too. Thank you Mr. Marsh. We'll be in touch," with that Dan left the room. It took a moment for Nathan and Deb to realize what he'd just done. They jumped up and took off after Dan.  
  
"Whoa, what the hell was that?" Deb asked as she and Nathan caught up with Dan. He looked at her, but only for a moment.  
  
"What else do you suggest? He's out of basketball he has nothing here. He's a druggy, Deb, you can't just give him a slap on the wrist and tell him not to do it again."  
  
"Excuse me, I'm still here. You can't make these kinds of decisions about me without asking me first," Dan stopped short and stared menacingly at his son.  
  
"Don't even think of telling me what I can and can not do, Nathan. You went and got yourself in trouble, now you get to pay the consequences. Your going to this place, your going to clean yourself up and your going to come home a bright, stand up young man. Understood?" He said, his voice almost a holler. Nathan just shook his head and brushed past his father, on the way to his first class.  
  
"Hey," Haley said, meeting Nathan at his locker. He spared her a glance and then turned back to searching for his textbook.  
  
"Hi," he said, uncharacteristically subdued.  
  
"I take it your meeting with Mr. Marsh didn't go well." He looked at her sadly.  
  
"They're sending me to Caldwell House," he said with a sarcastic excitement in his voice. Haley frowned.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"It's a place where you put your kids when they get screwed up. They are sending me there for a three month program to 'clean up,' as my father so delicately put it."  
  
"What? That's insane, you only took steroids for a week," Haley exclaimed.  
  
"I know, but that doesn't matter to my dad. I leave on Saturday."  
  
"For three months?"  
  
"Three months," he acknowledged.  
  
"I hate this," she said with a sigh.  
  
"Me too."  
  
"I'm going to miss you," he pulled her into a tight hug, and then kissed her lightly.  
  
"I'll be okay, you know. It's only a few months."  
  
"I know you'll be okay, I'm not worried about you. Just don't go falling in love with anyone while you're over there," she joked lightly.  
  
"I'm going to be surrounded my a bunch of druggies, suicidal and possibly homicidal people, I really don't think any of those lovely ladies would interest me too much."  
  
"Just making sure," the bell rang, "I'll see you later," they said as they went in different directions.  
  
The week passed quickly for both Nathan and Haley, as time usually does when something is coming that you don't want to happen. Soon enough it was Saturday, and Nathan was on a plane to Indiana, accompanied by his mother.  
  
"You be sure to call me every day," Deb said, breaking the all-consuming silence between them.  
  
"I will mom, don't worry," Nathan grabbed Deb's hand and squeezed it lightly.  
  
"What do you mean don't worry? I'm sending you off to live with a bunch of mentally ill people for three months," Deb exclaimed. She rubbed her temples with her fingers, trying to fend off the headache that was coming on.  
  
"Mom, they aren't mentally ill. They just need help, that's all."  
  
"I know I'm just going to miss you." The speakers came on, announcing the landing. The two of them buckled and waited patiently fort the plane to land.  
  
After the two were off the plane, Deb dropped him off at the home and then left to catch her plane back to North Carolina.  
  
Nathan was waiting for the person in charge to come and get him. This man was too show him where he would be staying, and take care of everything else that would be needed.  
  
A short, plump man entered the room and looked up from the pad of paper he had in front of him.  
  
"Nathan Scott?" he asked gruffly. Nathan nodded.  
  
"Drug problem. Your parents sent you here to clean up, correct?"  
  
"Yes sir," Nathan said. He stood and extended his hand out to the older man, who simply ignored it.  
  
"I'm going to need to check your bag, there are several things people in your department aren't allowed to have." Both he and Nathan sat down and opened up Nathan's bag. He pulled out Nathan's aftershave and cologne first.  
  
"A few years ago, we had a problem with kids sniffing this stuff, we banned it. Sorry buddy," he said. He dove in again and pulled out a bar of soap and deodorant.  
  
"You can also sniff these things. We will supply you with the things you'll need, only they will be to our specs," he looked though once more, coming up with nothing else.  
  
"Looks pretty good. Take your bag, come with me," he said. The two stood and made their way through a white, sterol hallway, stopping at a door.  
  
"This'll be your room. Now, normally we would have you with other people who have drug problems, but this is the only free bed we have. Your roommate is Alexis Hampton; she's in for attempted suicide. Just be careful around her, and make sure you keep all things that could be used for suicide away from her. We consider her a security risk," Nathan nodded and looked warily at the still closed doors.  
  
"Okay, now for the rules. There is no sniffing or ingesting anything that we do not give you specifically. Everyone is in there rooms with the doors locked by seven P.M every evening, lights out at ten-thirty. Wake up is seven A.M, then we start everyone off with breakfast, and they go to their various classes. There is to be no intimate actions with anyone on the premises. You can't leave the premises at any time unless accompanied by a volunteer, or in one of our day trip groups. You must attend all of your classes. If we find that you have an unexcused absence, there will be consequences. Understood?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Is there anything you'd like to know?"  
  
"Actually there is. Are we allowed to use the telephone, or write home?"  
  
"You are allowed telephone use only to you're parents. We have their numbers and we dial for you and monitor all telephone conversations. You can only use the phone once a day, unless it's urgent."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Yes sir," the man unlocked the room and knocked lightly.  
  
"Yes?" came a light feminine voice from inside.  
  
"May we come in Miss Hampton?" He asked. Just then a girl, about Nathan's age opened the door, and stepped aside so they could come in.  
  
"Miss Hampton, this is Nathan Scott. He will be your roommate for the next three months."  
  
"We've gone co-ed?" She asked.  
  
"Only in this instance. I'll be keeping a close eye on the two of you. You both know the rules, and Miss Hampton, you have a lot of experience with the consequences, maybe you could fill in Mister Scott." The girl rolled her eyes at the staunch man and turned to Nathan.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll get you filled in."  
  
"Well, I'm going to leave you too to get to know each other. Lights out half and hour," with that he left, locking the door behind him.  
  
"So," Nathan began. The girl pointed across the room.  
  
"That's your bed, that's the bathroom. Oh, and Mr. Cooney will probably want me to inform you to keep your pillows and blankets away from me so I can't suffocate myself," she said with a dramatic sigh. Nathan cast her a bemused look.  
  
"Oh come on, Cooney must have told you that I am the resident suicidal freak. He makes sure everyone knows," she rolled her eyes and laid down on her bed with a flop.  
  
"Yeah, he told me you were a security risk." The girl laughed half- heartedly.  
  
"He is so full of shit. I only tried to kill myself once while I was here, and the was three years ago."  
  
"Whoa, how long have you been here?"  
  
"Four years," she sat up and flipped her hair over her shoulder.  
  
"How much longer do you have?"  
  
"A year. I'm out when I turn eighteen. What about you?"  
  
"Three months," he said, sitting on his bed adjacent hers.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry for you," she joked, "don't worry, it isn't so bad here. You get used to it after a while. I hated it for the first year, but I've gotten used to it. I almost like it now. Well, not like, more like appreciate."  
  
"What do you mean? Why would you appreciate it."  
  
"Well, I know the moment I'm out of this place, I'll end up dead, so I might as well appreciate the few years they've given me."  
  
"Why do you want to die so bad?"  
  
"What's to live for? When I was thirteen my sister and parents died in a car crash. After that I went on a downward spiral. I slit my wrists, but my Aunt found me before I bled to death. They shoved me in here as soon as I was out of the hospital. I've been here ever since. Only once I tried to kill myself. I tried to suffocate myself with my pillow, but I passed out and rolled over, and then involuntary breathing took over. When they found out what I did they took away my pillow and made it so no one in here because of attempted suicide would have a pillow," she explained.  
  
"Well, this room seems pretty safe to me. No real ways to kill yourself," Nathan observed.  
  
"Are you kidding me? This place is a death trap for anyone who really wanted to kill them selves," she patted the hard stucco walls, "feel how hard this is. A few head bashes against this baby and it would kill you," she pointed to the window, "break the glass in that and we could stab themselves," she picked patted the steel bars at the head of her bed, "see? This place is a suicidal persons paradise." Nathan looked at her with wide eyes.  
  
"Don't worry. I don't plan on killing myself while I'm here. You won't have to worry about coming in here and seeing me hanging from the ceiling fan. Hey, did I mention death by hanging, cause' that's a good one?"  
  
"Can we uh, can we change the subject to a less morbid one?" she laughed lightly,  
  
"Sure. So, where ya from?"  
  
"Tree Hill North Carolina. You?"  
  
"Chebucto, Illinois. So, you have any siblings?" Nathan rolled he eyes.  
  
"Apparently so. I have a half brother named Lucas. My dad's other son."  
  
"Ahh, I can smell a story," she joked. Nathan rolled his eyes.  
  
"My dad slept with his high school girlfriend, then left her after that and got together with my mother. Were three months apart."  
  
"I see. Sounds like fun. So, you into anything like sports. Cause' this place has a great sports program. There are two teams for each sport. They pretty much need one cause' most of us are here until we're eighteen and they can't keep up from playing sports our whole lives."  
  
"Yeah, I'm into basketball. You?"  
  
"Soccer all the way baby. I'm the goalie for one of the teams, the raiders."  
  
"I never got into soccer."  
  
"Oh, you have to. I'm on both the basketball and the soccer teams but I like soccer much more. You should come to one of our matches, we're the best in our age range."  
  
"I'll do that. You think it's too late to join some of the teams?"  
  
"Oh, no, they let anyone join anytime. We get new people in hear all the time, so we have to let people on any time."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"It is. So, what class do you have first?" He checked his list.  
  
"History."  
  
"Oh, me too. What's after that?"  
  
"Math."  
  
"Ooh, you're a lone ranger there buddy. What's next?"  
  
"English."  
  
"Same, and last but not least Geology?"  
  
"Bingo. So, three out of four isn't bad."  
  
"Then after that we go to our classes for our various problems. You'll be in the drug addiction program and I get to go to "the art of living 101'" she said with a laugh. He returned it.  
  
"I thought I would hate it here. It isn't so bad as I thought."  
  
"Hey, you've only been here half an hour, give it some time," she said. Just then they got a loud knock on the door. Nathan got up to answer it, but Alexis motioned for him to sit.  
  
"That means lights out. You can have the bathroom, I'll change out here," she said. She opened up on of the doors on the underside of her bed and pulled out some plaid pajama pants and a white tank top, while Nathan grabbed some sweats and a t-shirt from his bag, and headed into the bathroom, to get ready for bed. Nathan knew he wouldn't sleep well tonight though; he could never sleep in a place like this, too unlike home. 


	4. Oh Yeah, Baby!

(Hey, this thing was getting a little sappy and I needed a fun, nonsense chapter. Enjoy the sports talk)  
  
Nathan awoke with a start to the loud knocking on the steel door. He rubbed the sleep put of his eyes and sat up, stretching and yawning groggily. He was pulled even further out of his sleep by a sock being thrown at his head.  
  
"Up and at em' Mr. Scott," said Alexis with a smile. She was already dressed and her bed had been made.  
  
"Uh, what time is it? Four o'clock?"  
  
"Heh, your funny. It's nine," he jumped up quickly.  
  
"Aren't we supposed to get up at seven-thirty?" he asked. He grabbed a shirt off the floor and tried to get it on. Alexis grabbed it from him.  
  
"Mine. And wake up on Sunday is nine. It gives us two hours to get ready if we want to go to church," she told him. She opened up his bag and threw him a shirt. He plopped back down onto the bed and winced lightly.  
  
"Are all of the bed here this hard?"  
  
"Yup, you'll get used to it."  
  
"Okay. Sounds like fun. So, what are you doing today?"  
  
"Church," she answered simply. For the first time he noticed that she was dressed in a floral print skirt and lacey black shirt. He looked at her confusedly. "What?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. I just didn't expect you to be into the church thing."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Well, isn't it kind of sacrilegious to try to kill yourself?" he asked. She smiled and said on the edge of his bed.  
  
"I guess it is a little. But I think God wants us to be happy. If I can't be happy in my life, I should strive to be happy inn another way, in death," she said. He put his arm on her shoulder and squeezed her close for a second.  
  
"You're a very strange girl, you know that?"  
  
"Nate, you're in a home for screw up kids, you wont find any girl here who isn't strange. I'm normal by comparison," he laughed lightly.  
  
"I see your point."  
  
"So, what about you. You into the religion thing?" he shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"I'm not antichrist or anything like that. But I've never gone to church," she stood and pulled him up by his hand.  
  
"Well, today you get to become an honorary member of the Caldwell House Baptist church. Come on. I'll help you find something to wear," she said with a smile. He followed her to his bag apprehensively.  
  
"I'm not sure I should go."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I've never gone to church before."  
  
"God doesn't care whether you have or haven't gone before. All he cares about is when you go, and what you learn. Just give it a chance. If you hate it I promise not to drag you along next week."  
  
"You sure it's alright?"  
  
"Positive. Please?" he sighed and smiled at her childish demeanor.  
  
"Fine," he said in a sigh.  
  
"Yay," she gave a spirited little leap and put his bag on his bed at they found what he should wear.  
  
After the service Alexis took Nathan to one of the two school gymnasiums and introduced him to the head coach for the Raiders basketball, soccer, and volleyball coach.  
  
"Coach Lewis, this is Nathan Scott. He's new here and would like to play basketball with us for the next three months," Alexis told the aging man in the gym.  
  
"I think we may be able to accommodate him. Can you play Mr. Scott?" he asked.  
  
"I can hold my own," he answered. The old man threw him a basketball and pointed to a net.  
  
"You think you can get it in from here?" Nathan was standing at about half court.  
  
"I can try," he said. He shot the ball at the hoop with a prefect backspin. It swished in.  
  
"Nice. What position do you play?"  
  
"Power forward," Nathan said. he caught the ball that the Coach passed back to him and dribbled unconsciously.  
  
"Wait, Nathan Scott?"  
  
"Yeah," Nathan caught the ball and hugged in under his right arm.  
  
"I've seen you play. I'm a scout for Duke University. I coach their Varsity team," Nathan perked up.  
  
"Really? I've always wanted to go to Duke."  
  
"You would have if you didn't get yourself stuck in here," Nathan sighed deeply.  
  
"Okay, so can he play, Coach?" Alexis but in.  
  
"Of course. You going to play any other sports while gracing our school with your presence Mr. Scott?"  
  
"I, Uh- I don't think so," he said. Alexis elbowed him lightly.  
  
"I'm still trying to get him into it. Maybe after he sees a few of our soccer and volleyball matches he'll change his mind," she said. Coach Lewis nodded.  
  
"Practices for basketball are Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Games are Monday nights at seven. We play the other school team, the stingers. There are two teams per age range. As of now the Raiders are ahead by a game. I don't expect you'll drag us down," he said, stifling a smirk.  
  
"I'll try my best, Sir," Nathan said with a smile.  
  
"Now get out of my gymnasium. I've got a group of Juniors coming in five minutes," he shook hands with Nathan amiably and watched as his favorite player walked out with the person bound to win his team the medals at the end of the year.  
  
"So, your working on me?" Nathan said once they were back in their room. Alexis laughed lightly.  
  
"Come to my soccer match tonight. You'll see how much fun it can be."  
  
"It's the middle of winter. You going to play in the snow?"  
  
"No, we have a rink that we cover in Astroturf for the winter season. So, will you come?"  
  
"Sure, what can it hurt?"  
  
"A lot if you get his in the face with the ball. But we have nets up to prevent that from happening. Come on, let's go to the cafeteria and get some lunch."  
  
Seven thirty that evening, Nathan was sitting in the stands in the old arena. The game was just beginning the second half and Alexis team was up by two. She had been in nets the first half and was now out in the midfield position.  
  
The other team had the first kick. Alexis advanced on them as soon as they hit the ball. She stole it almost immediately from their starting forward and advanced on the goalie.  
  
She crossed it over to her teammate and moved toward the goal. She opened herself up and received the pass. With one touch she shot the ball hard into the nets coring the third goal of the game. She and her teammates gave each other high fives and ran back to their starting positions, hoping to do it all over again.  
  
In the last bit of the half the other team caught up with them and scored three goals on their net. They were forced to go into a shoot out.  
  
Alexis was put in nets for her team, while a boy named Adrian went in for the Stingers.  
  
John, the first shooter for the stingers shot. It went wide of the net.  
  
Cassidy, Raiders first shooter shot, it was saved by Adrian.  
  
Chloe shot next for the Stingers. Alexis dove and stopped it.  
  
And so it went for the last few shooters. In the end the shoot out score was 2-3 for the Raiders.  
  
Alexis and Nathan quickly made their way back to there room and got ready for bed.  
  
"You did really great in that shooting thingy," Nathan commented. She laughed.  
  
"Do you mean the shoot out?"  
  
"Yeah, you did really well."  
  
"Thanks. So did Adrian. So, you think you'll want to join the team?"  
  
"I don't know. Soccer and basketball are like hot and cold, I'm not sure I'd want to play something so different."  
  
"I play both, and I do pretty well. Come on."  
  
"I'll tell you what. I'll join the volleyball team with you, and I'll come watch your soccer games. Deal?"  
  
"Fine. But I feel I should tell you what your missing out on."  
  
"Oh? And what exactly is that?"  
  
"You know the rush you get when you get the winning basket in a game?"  
  
"Yup," he said smugly. She slapped his arm lightly with a laugh.  
  
"Okay, well picture getting the winning goal of the game with a someone actually standing in front of the net, doing everything they can to prevent just that. Imagine saving a shot that should have gone in because it was just so good. Can you picture that?" Nathan shook his head.  
  
"The closest to a soccer field I can picture myself is on the sideline. It's just not my thing," he said. She smiled and hugged him lightly.  
  
"Don't worry about it. I guess it's bad enough to have you stealing the spotlight on the basketball and volleyball teams. I don't need you taking away my soccer spotlight too," she said with a laugh. He grinned.  
  
"So, you any good at basketball?"  
  
"You want to try me and find out?" she asked with an evil grin. He quirked a brow.  
  
"What do you suggest?"  
  
"Tomorrow. Free period after History. Gym. Be there. We need some one on one baby," she said with a grin. He just laughed.  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Oh yeah, Baby." 


	5. Going Home

The weeks passed slowly for Nathan during his time in the school. He played basketball for the team at the school, but never really enjoyed it as much as playing for Tree Hill High.  
  
Today was bittersweet. He was on his way home and would be back to normal life soon enough. He should have been happy, but there was one thing keeping him from it. Alexis. She had become like a sister to him, and he didn't want to leave her.  
  
The two were in their room while he packed.  
  
"So, what's the first thing you're going to do when you get out of here?" she asked.  
  
"Go see Haley. What about you? You only have a few months left to your sentence," he said. She put down his shirt she was folding and looked at him.  
  
"We went over this the first night you were here."  
  
"I hoped you would have changed your mind."  
  
"Why would I? Nothing has changed."  
  
"I thought it had. Come on Alexis. I promise you there are things out there to live for."  
  
"What?" Nathan took a moment to respond, but his thoughts immediately went to Haley.  
  
"You could find a person you love. What if you kill yourself when you get out of here, never knowing what it's like to be in love? You would be missing out on a great thing."  
  
"What do you want me to say, Nathan? That I'll stay alive and hope that someday someone will show up who's great? No, thanks."  
  
"Well, at least come and see me before you do it. Give me another chance to convince you," she rolled her eyes and sighed lightly, "please," she sighed once more and nodded.  
  
"Fine, I'll come and see you before I do it."  
  
"Promise me."  
  
"I promise, now lets get this stuff packed. You're out of here in an hour."  
  
The hour passed and the two stood in the front lobby of the school. Alexis hugged him tightly and kissed him lightly on the cheek.  
  
"Don't forget to come and see me," Nathan said.  
  
"I won't forget, now get out of here. Go home," she smiled encouragingly and it was fully returned by Nathan. They hugged once more and he turned his back to her and left. 


	6. Escaping Reality

A month after Nathan left the school, Alexis sat alone in her room. The last roommate, who had come, had left just as quickly, after being scared off by Alexis. While Alexis did have funs caring people, it was lost on her this time, as she missed Nathan.  
  
A knock came to the door; she called for them to come in.  
  
"Alexis. You have a free day today. Mr. Laney is going to take you and a couple other people out for the day. Be in the lobby in ten minutes," with that he was gone. Alexis grabbed her coat, all of her money and shoes and headed for the lobby.  
  
A few hours into the day, she and the group had tired of their daytrip. Mr. Laney had turned out to be the most boring man in the world to spend the day with. All Alexis wanted was to see Nathan. She had a plan. They were on their way walking back to the school.  
  
"Hey Mr. Laney?"  
  
"What?" it was obvious he didn't want to be out there chaperoning a group of juvenile delinquents, which made this even sweeter to Alexis, if it worked that is.  
  
"I need to pee," she said. He looked around and noticed a diner on the side of the road.  
  
"Five minutes," She ran into the diner."  
  
"Thanks." She ran into the bathroom and looked around. Back outside one of the students was attempting to make conversation with the grumpy old man.  
  
"Mr. Laney?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"How did you make your head so shiny?" They mans brow furrowed.  
  
"Hey, none of that."  
  
"What? I was just wondering. Do you wax it?"  
  
"Go back there with your friends."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I said so. Where is Alexis?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just go." He walked into the diner and knocked on the bathroom door. No answer. He knocked again. No answer. He opened the door a crack, seeing nothing, he opened it the rest of the way.  
  
Nothing but an open window and a scuff mark on the counter.  
  
Alexis ran faster than she could ever remember running before. She didn't know how she would get to Nathan's, but she was determined.  
  
She ran for hours, she knew she had crossed at least one state line, but she wasn't sure where she was, or how far she had to go. She hailed down a cab and got in.  
  
"Hey, how far is it to Tree Hill, North Carolina?"  
  
"North Carolina, kid, you've got a long trip ahead of you."  
  
"Yeah, I figured. How long exactly?"  
  
"I don't know. Straight driving I might have you there by noon tomorrow."  
  
"Can you do that for me?"  
  
"It'll cost you a lot."  
  
"Hey, I have enough. Just get me there."  
  
"Whatever you say kid."  
  
Alexis had fallen asleep. When she woke up, she half expected to see the white, sterol walls of her room back at the school. Today it was different though. She was in a cab.  
  
"Hey, where are we?" she asked. It was bright and shining outside.  
  
"We just passed the North Carolina state line. Where you headed anyhow?"  
  
"Umm, Tree Hill. Do you know how to get there?"  
  
"Sure. I'll have you there in half an hour."  
  
"Thanks. Hey, can you drop me off at Karen's diner?"  
  
"I'm not sure where it is, kid."  
  
"Umm, something like North street, or Nymph street, I'm not sure. It starts with "N" though."  
  
"I'll see what I can do for you."  
  
"Thank you so much for this."  
  
"Hey, it's good money."  
  
True to his word, half an hour later He pulled up in front of Karen's. She gave him three hundred dollars.  
  
When her mother died she took all of the money they had saved in their house. No one knew about it, which worked fine for her.  
  
She walked into Karen's and was greeted by a chirpy young brunette.  
  
"Hey, what can I get you?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, umm, I'm actually looking for someone, Haley Jameson, or something like that. Might be Johnson."  
  
"James?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it."  
  
"You found her. Who are you?"  
  
"Oh, I'm a friend of Nathan's. I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to his house?" Haley looked over the girl and nodded.  
  
"Sure, uh. Just go down that street until you come to Cornwallis Road. Go there until you get to Jones Street, then turned left on Kelley, it's the third house on your left."  
  
"Thank you so much, you've been a big help," with that Alexis was up and out, leaving a very confused Haley.  
  
On her way out, Alexis had grabbed a knife from one of the tables near the door, unnoticed.  
  
She followed the directions Haley had given to her, and arrived at a large house. She stood by the front gate, contemplating her actions. She knew what she wanted to do, and did it.  
  
Nathan walked to the door in response to the bell. He opened it and saw a figure leaning heavily on the side of the door, head bowed.  
  
"What?" he began. She raised her head, he saw her pale, familiar face.  
  
"Alexis, what happened to you?" he asked. She stood up, taking her weight off the doorframe and fell into him. He caught her and pulled her inside, taking notice of the blood on the doorframe, which was now on his and her own clothes.  
  
She looked up at him and showed him her slit wrists.  
  
"I promised I'd come before I killed myself."  
  
  
  
Okay, I can make this go either way, either she can die, or she can live. It's up to you. Later. 


	7. Forever Ending

Nathan sat next to Alexis' bed, holding her hand. Her heart monitor was beeping unsteadily, and the doctors had little hope for her. While she was awake, life support was the only thing keeping her alive.  
  
Nathan was talking to her, trying to keep her awake, knowing that if she fell asleep, despite the life support, she wouldn't wake up again.  
  
"So, how have the Raiders been doing the last month?" He asked. She smiled.  
  
"Bad. Without you," she said slowly. Her voice was quiet and airy, and her dialogue was slow and deliberate.  
  
"Oh, I don't know. I think you were the one holding all those teams together, not me," he whispered. Her eyebrows drooped.  
  
"Hey, stay awake," he pressured. She looked up at him lazily, but said nothing.  
  
The doctors had told him that since she was awake, but had no family, the choice to stay on life support or not was solely up to her. He had fought the doctor on it, explaining the circumstances, but all the doctor told him was that he couldn't force her to live.  
  
"I'm tired, Nate. Just let me go," she whispered. He shook his head.  
  
"Alexis if you let yourself die, without a fight, I'll kill myself," he said. He had been silently deliberating this in his head since his conversation with the doctor and now was desperate to do anything to keep her alive.  
  
"No you wont," she said.  
  
"Yes, I will. If it's the only way I can keep you alive than I'll do anything."  
  
"You can't. You have Haley," she said, a little worked up. Some silent tears creeped out of her eyes.  
  
"I love Haley, but I can't let you die. I need you too, Alexis," he too was seeping emotion.  
  
"I don't think you'll actually do it," she said. He shook his head.  
  
"You'll just have to trust me on it. I will, the moment you tell them to turn off the life support."  
  
"No," she shook her head.  
  
"Then don't die, Alexis. Please," he leaned down and kissed her pale forehead.  
  
"I have to."  
  
"No you don't."  
  
"Don't hurt yourself, Nathan."  
  
"Don't give up."  
  
"Please," she begged, openly sobbing.  
  
"Alexis. It's up to you."  
  
"Why are you doing this? Why don't you want me to have what I want?"  
  
"Because it isn't what you want. You just need to experience life to know it."  
  
"It's not up to you, Nathan. Don't ask me to choose between this and you. Please."  
  
"Is it such a hard choice?" he asked, swallowing deeply. She shook her head, then nodded vigorously.  
  
"Yes," she said. He felt as though he'd been shot in the chest.  
  
"Fine, kill yourself, and I'll die too. It works all around, at least you wont have to deal with it."  
  
"Don't ask me to make this decision," she pleaded. He shook his head.  
  
"I already have." And with that the conversation ended. They sat staring at each other in a sad silence. She raised her arms as much as she could, and he fell into her embrace.  
  
"I feel like my sister is dieing and I can't do anything about it," he cried into her chest. She held onto him tighter.  
  
"I feel like my brother is asking me to choose which one of us takes a bullet," she said. He raised his head.  
  
"I want you to be happy," he said finally. She nodded.  
  
"Then let me die, Nathan. No strings attached."  
  
"I won't give you my permission."  
  
"All I want is your goodbye," she said meekly. He nodded.  
  
"Then pull the plug and you'll get it," he whispered. She bit her bottom lip and nodded.  
  
Within an hour, she flat lined, leaving Nathan and the world.  
  
He wandered back to his car and slowly gun the ignition.  
  
He drove for a few minutes, then sped up to the top speed, racing through an abandoned road.  
  
Within minutes he crashed.  
  
**A seven year old Nathan sat on his grandfathers lap on his birthday, reading the latest Hardy boys novel with his grandpa.  
  
A twelve year old Nathan was shooting hoops with his dad on a bright summer afternoon.  
  
Fourteen, his parents took him to Disney world and he got to pet a dolphin.  
  
Sixteen, he met Haley James. The woman he loves.  
  
Sixteen, he met Alexis Hampton, his non-blood sister.**  
  
Then, there was nothing.  
  
The End, I guess (Gees, I don't know, maybe I'll write an epilogue. Something to do with Haley and Deb maybe.... BYE) 


End file.
